Controlling Bartz
by Month4
Summary: Exdeath is wanting to control Bartz.  Will Zidane be able to save him in time?
1. Chapter 1

Exdeath is standing in front of the door to a room he thinks the person inside will be in. He knocks a few times then waits a while.

"Come in!" calls the person Exdeath wants to see. He enters the room that he is glad to see has one person in it. The mad clown himself, Kefka. The clown turns to see Exdeath enter.

"Why Exdeath," exclaims Kefka. "What brings you here?"

"Well I was wondering if you have sleeping liquid or if you know who does," replies Exdeath as he looks at Kefka's collection of creepy things. One of them being the head of a stuffed bunny sewn onto the body of a teddy bear and vice versa.

"Well I never use anything that puts my toys to sleep," exclaims Kefka. "I like them awake when I wanna play with them. So I use paralyzing powder bombs. Why? What wicked plan do you have in mind?"

"It doesn't matter," says Exdeath as he turns to leave. Suddenly bars magically appears in the doorway.

"Come on tell me," whines Kefka. "I wanna be in on your fun."

"You can't!" barks Exdeath. "Besides I'm not going to harm the one I'm going to use the sleeping liquid on."

"Then tell me what you're going to do if you're not going to have fun with them," whines Kefka.

"If you must know I'm going to take control one of the Cosmos Warriors," admitted Exdeath.

"Oh, tell me more," exclaims Kefka clapping his hands.

"I've been thinking of a way to out number the Cosmos Army. What I came up with is to take control of one of them and have him fight with us," exclaims Exdeath.

"Ah, now I get it," says Kefka. "Well you'll have to ask around then." Then he makes the bars vanish.

"Ok," mutters Exdeath walking out the door. He found the sleeping liquid in Kuja's possession. He then teleports to the Rift. Exdeath is in his castle when Kefka enters.

"I'm here to get front row seats to the show," he says.

"Come her if you want to watch this," exclaims Exdeath holding a wreath. Suddenly the weath glows black for a while. When it stopped glowing Exdeath is holding a wreath of black thorns.

"Now all I need is to put this on a head and that person will be in my control," says Exdeath. Kefka leaves the castle as Exdeath goes to where he is sure the target will be.

In a forest Bartz and Zidane are having a fight.

"Bartz you just broke my walking stick!" yells Zidane.

"Hey sorry pal," apologizes Bartz. "I'll go find you another one."

"Yes, go before you brake something else!" yells back Zidane as Bartz runs off. Suddenly Exdeath appears behind Bartz and covers his face with some cloth. Bartz goes limp within a few seconds. Zidane is almost close enough to attack Exdeath when both exdeath and Bartz teleports to who knows where. Then he hears a cackling sound. He turns around to see Kefka laughing his head off.

"Hey, do you know where He's taking Bartz!" demands Zidane.

"Oh, it won't do you any good to rescue your dear friend," taunted Kefka. "By the time you'll have rescued your dear Bartz, the old Bartz will be gone. I'll give you a hint though on where to find him. Go to where Bartz and Exdeath last fought together." after that's said he teleprts himself leaving Zidane to ponder about what he just heard, and fear for his friend's safe return.


	2. Chapter 2

Zidane dashes as fast as he can to find Squall. He finds Squall with Cloud and Terra after they defeated some manikins.

"Squall!" calls Zidane. "I need your help."

"What's wrong?" asks Squall.

"Bartz has been kidnapped," states Zidane. "The only hint I got from Kefka on his whereabouts is that He's at the place where he last fought with Exdeath."

"Hm," hums Squall in thought. "The only place I've seen Bartz fight him was in a place called The Rift."

"Wasn't that the place I managed to find you in?" asks Zidane.

"Yes it was," answers Squall.

"Great, I know where that is from here," exclaims Zidane. "But we gotta hurry. What Kefka also said was that by the time we get to Bartz he won't be his old self anymore."

"Explain along the way," says Cloud. The four of them runs into the direction of The Rift.

Meanwhile in a dungeon in the castle in The Rift Bartz wakes up. He finds out that he's sitting on a stone floor with his arms attached to a stone wall on either sides of his sides with cuffs. Suddenly Exdeath teleports in front of him.

"Glad you're awake," he chuckles.

"Exdeath, what do you want?" asks Bartz.

"To give you a chance to join me," says Exdeath. "By the way that monkey boy sounded yelling at you he doesn't what to ever see you again. Therefore you have nothing to loose."

"Fat chance!" yells Bartz. "Even if Zidane doesn't want to see me ever doesn't mean that I will ever join you!"

"Fine then," shrugs Exdeath as he brings a wreath of black thorns out from behind his back. He places it on Bartz head as he's trying to struggle away.

"That wreath I just put on you has dark magic put on it," states Exdeath. "The thorns will guide it into your head. Which will take over your mind and soon you'll be under my spell." He laughs for a few minutes before teleporting out of the prison cell. Leaving Bartz alone to deal with his own fate.

"Zidane," whispers Bartz as he lets a tear run down his face. "I'm sorry I was careless. Please forgive me." He closes his eyes as he tries to get some sleep.

Outside the castle Zidane, Squall, Terra and Cloud are hiding in the forest next to The Rift.

"Ok, here's the plan," he mutters to the others. "I'll create a diversion while Zidane will lead Cloud through the castle to Bartz. Terra will heal any and all injures he might have. Then you guys will take him to safety and join me as soon as you can."

"Agreed," says the other three at the same time.

"Now wait here until you see an opening," mutters Squall as he walks up to the castle

Inside Exdeath is relaxing on a chair when he hears a crash from the door to the castle. He teleports there to find Squall had smashed the door in and is holding his gunblade.

"I'm here to get a friend back," scowls Squall. "And if you get in my way I _will _carve you down." He then attacks. A few minutes later the other three to the rescue party slips in and begins their search.


	3. Chapter 3

Ok before you begin reading my story story I just want to say that I hear your complaints. I haven't been putting a whole lot of information in this story, but I put enough to give you the big picture. Isn't that what matters? You can fill in some of the blanks with your imagination. Now please if there's anything else wrong with the story tell me, but you can stop with with the "Needs more description" complaint please. Thank you, now for the story.

Bartz opens his eyes still chained to the wall when he hears the blast from Squall smashing the door in. An hour later he can hear noises coming his way.

"Bartz, are you here?" calls Terra's voice.

"Terra, is that you?" calls back Bartz. Then he sees a blur of green and red come and blast the door to the prison cell in. The blur then comes to stand in front of him.

"Bartz, I'm so glad you're alright," gasps Terra. "Guys I've found him!" More noises comes and a mass of black and yellow and a yellow and blue blurs comes. Zidane rushes to Bartz, but is stopped when Cloud calls out a warning.

"Zidane, stop," says Cloud. That shocks Bartz. He thought that Zidane didn't want to see him.

"Why Cloud?" asks Zidane as Cloud walks past him.

"Just as I've feared," sighs Cloud looking into Bartz's almost cloudy eyes. "Someone is trying to get in control of his mind."

"What!" shrieks Zidane running up to Bartz and clutching his tunic as Terra covers her mouth in shock. "Bartz, please, please still be with us."

"Zidane," mutters Bartz.

"This is good," says Cloud. "It means there's still hope of him being saved." He rips the thorn wreath off Bartz's head and turns to Terra and says, "Terra, we'll need a spell to mask us bringing our Bartz back. I'll get thorns that looks like the ones I pulled off of him and dark colored berries. Zidane you stay here and call out to him. Bartz you focus your mind on Zidane's voice."

"Right," they both nodded as they carry out Cloud's orders.

"Bartz!" sobs Zidane as he hugs Bartz around his chest close. "Please fight back. You're my best friend. I'm so sorry about getting mad at you from just a stupid stick. Please, please come back to us." Zidane breaks down in tears, crying in Bartz's shoulder.

"You're my best friend too Zidane," says Bartz. Zidane could only smile and move his hug to around Bartz's neck. Crying tears of joy this time. When Cloud runs in Terra is still concentrating on her spell and Zidane isn't crying, but is still hugging Bart's neck. Bartz's eyes are clear and looking lovingly at Zidane.

"Ok, I dulled the thorns on the inside of them," he says as he places a wreath of thorns that looks like the one Bartz had on before on his head. "When you go out walk limply and hang your head. That way you can get close enough to attack Exdeath when you see a chance. Terra let go of the spell and make it seam as if Bartz is taken over by the controlling spell."

Outside both Exdeath and Squall feels a change in the atmosphere.

"You feel that?" asks Exdeath. "That is my spell taking over Bartz. Now he is my puppet forever." He snaps his fingers and says, "Come my puppet." Squall looks on as Bartz teleports next to Exdeath.

"Now my puppet," says Exdeath. "Strike your former teammate dead."

"Bartz, don't do it!" calls Squall as Buster Blade appears in Bartz's hand.

"He can't hear you," cackles Exdeath. "He's my-" He let out a gasp as Buster Blade slams into his stomach. He dissipated in black smoke.

"I thought I told you," says Bartz looking where Exdeath was standing. "No matter what, I will never join you."

"Bartz you did it!" cheers Zidane as he runs out of the castle with the others walking out.

"I sure did," replies Bartz embracing Zidane's tackle. "Thank you for saving me."

"Oh Bartz," sobs Zidane. "I'm just glad that you are alright."

"I'm just glad every thing's alright," whispers Bartz. Then he and everyone else continues on their adventure as happy as can be.

Whew, what a chapter. Well that's the last one. Please feel free to check out my other fanfics. Please, I hope you've enjoyed Controlling Bartz.


End file.
